For the last several years, the 67-year-old has made the occassional headline for living a reclusive lifestyle after decades as a beloved fitness personality.

Just this past March, Simmons addressed reports that he's being controlled by his housekeeper, Teresa Reveles, in a call-in interview with TODAY's Savannah Guthrie.

“No one is holding me in my house as a hostage,” he told Guthrie. “You know, I do what I want to do as I've always done so people should sort of just believe what I have to say because, like, I'm Richard Simmons!"

The Sweatin' to the Oldies host dismissed the claims as “silly” and said: “Teresa Reveles has been with me for 30 years. It's almost like we're a married couple."

Simmons’ former assistant, Mauro Oliveira, told the New York Daily News earlier this year that he's being prevented from seeing Simmons.

Simmons’ rep, Tom Estey said the claims that Simmons is being held against his will are "absolutely untrue.” He told ABC News: “It’s ridiculous because this is really a non-story.”

Simmons was last seen in public at the 2013 Thanksgiving Day Parade.

"I just sort of wanted to be a little bit of a loner for a little while,'' Simmons told Guthrie. "You know, I had hurt my knee, and I had some problems with it, and then the other knee started giving me trouble because I've taught like thousands and thousands of classes, and you know right now I just want to sort of take care of me."